ocean

Hi everyone, newbie here. I wanted to buy a late-model used Scion xb with about 50000 miles. The dealer just got a 1-owner 2008 xb with 95000 miles that they offered for $9990. To entice me to buy, they offered a really great deal on my trade-in, $4000 for a 1997 Buick Century with 56000 miles (my mom's old car). So the xb would wind up costing about $6000. I've been reading that the Camry engines routinely run to 200000-25000 miles.

So I would like to ask all of you with a lot of experience with xbs for your opinion about this deal. Are there any problems that might come up soon, like with transmission or something? Is there something else I should ask the dealer for before buying? I do have the Carfax, and I was planning on getting some extended service contract.

Thanks!

99_xc600

Wow, that's a great deal considering that the value on the Buick in probably about $500. Just make sure they're not putting in other "items" into the purchase of the vehicle that's offsetting the price. ( I have a feeling they are putting some BS doc fees in their to justify the trade in price)

If the mileage isn't an issue. I would grab it.

ocean

Hi, thanks a lot for your feedback. I should have added that the dealer is a very reputable Toyota/Scion dealer in this city. They had just gotten the car in a couple of hours before I got there, and the woman who traded it in grabbed the 2012 xb that I was interested in before I got there. It's ok, because probably the financing would have been too high for my current budget anyway. The 2008 wasn't even cleaned up yet or detailed. There was a minor bump in the car door that they said they will repair and also clean it up and detail it. I kind of thought they were knocking the price down a bit at the start because I was seeing it in its raw state before they could fix it up.

Anyway, from everything I've read, the engines do run a lot of miles. I was reading on one site that someone didn't even keep up with the routine maintenance and got 270000 miles on it.

ocean

A Buick with that mileage has a KBB of around $3500. On craigslist they can list for around $4000. Eveyone told me a dealer would give $500 tops. So I was really happy that they offered $4000.

midtowndesi

sounds like a nice upgrade from your existing ride. if possible, see if you can have them include one of the big/major services as listed here: http://sfscion.com/Scion-Service-Pricing.aspx

have them change all the fluids, check all joints/tires/etc etc etc. this will give you piece of mind for the first year at the least when you get your car. i mean, i am sure they're going to perform SOME service on it because it's a trade in (oil change, checking the tires, etc) but having one of the major services done on it (bc of the mileage) would be nice.

fwiw.

99_xc600

If the dealer is offering $4000 for a 15 year old Buick I would grab it. Typically the dealer will never give you anything close to book value on anything older than 5 years of age (regardless of the mileage).

Just make sure they are not "boosting' the price with dealer add on's and then trying to bury it with the value of the trade. Make sure you look at the purchase and sales agreement with a fine tooth comb and take along someone else who is unbiased with the sale for a fresh perspective.

If everything checks out, do as others have mentioned and make sure it's mechanically sound. The XB has the pleasure of being a "basic" car without a lot of the electronic systems that can drive owners nuts. Chances are if it passes all of the basic mechanical checks it should be fine.

draxcaliber

This is my advice, If your mother's old Buick isn't costing you too much to keep on the road and is working properly, Just keep it and enjoy not having a car payment and cheaper insurance. Buying a used car, while being a toyota, it should be very reliable, you'll never know until you buy and drive it whether or not it will be a faithful car.

Also, best bit of advice that I give people is what would you tell somebody else if they asked you the same question?

TheMotrCty

The price on the 2008 xB is a good one. I just got a 2008 with 50K miles for $10,600 and I searched high and low for that price. Ocean is spot on for the Buick, it's worth between $3K and $4.5K, depending upon where you are in the US.

Not all wrecks are reported to Carfax, so have a good mechanic look at it before you buy.

Ronnie

Jedi4141

The trade in sounds very good. I just got my 2011 xB with foglights, automatic, and 6700 miles for 14,995 (no negotiation). That was a steal. The price of the car sounds like what they go for but the trade in sounds real good. I like used car that are 1-2 years old with under 20,000 miles. Good luck.

journeyforce

I agree with draxcaliber on this. If there is nothing wrong with the Century then I would keep it. The Century is a good car(though a bit boring looking) On that car the only real issues they have are leaking intake gaskets(GM went cheap when the original ones were installed) after that is done then you never have to do it again.

That car with normal maintenance should get you at least 200,000 miles. Those and the that era's LeSabre are rock solid. Plus no car payment is awesome

Have you driven the XB for a long distance? If you are used to that Buick ride(i.e. soft suspension) that you are going to pull your hair out with the XB(which seems at times to not have a suspension

Also for a 4 cylinder that engine is a pig. So the high gas MPG's you might be dreaming about are not going to happen with the XB. In fact it is a bit of a disappointment for me that it was supposed to a fuel efficient replacement for my 2005 LeSabre(had close to 300,000 miles on it and the trans went bad) and yet I was getting 25-26 MPG on the highways with the LeSabre and only getting 27-28 on the highway(same style of driving) with the XB. According to fueleconomy.gov
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find....24074&id=13540

the 2008 XB gets 22 city/28highway

Your 1997 Century gets 18 city/26 highway

So the XB gets about 4 more miles per gallon in the city and 2 more on the highway. To me that is not enough of a of a gain to take on a car payment especially if the Century is in great condition.


I had a 2005 LeSabre with the 16 inch tires and it rode like a dream and soaked up all bumps. The 2011 XB that I have rides on 16 in tires also and has no mods what so ever and you feel all bumps and road imperfections

Don't get me wrong the XB is a good car but if you are used to that Buick ride then you are not going to be happy.

Secondly, you have to ask the question why would anybody trade in a car to buy what basically is the exact same car except for conventional reverse light mounting/better center console/ and a longer nose? It is very doubtful that she traded it in because she could not live without the longer front air dam and 2 reverse lights.

And 90,000 miles is just breaking the camry engine in. So you need to ask yourself as to why she traded it in. Keep in mind that earlier versions of the 2.4l engine(2002-2007/200 had an issue of the rear head bolts backing out and taking the engine block threads. To fix this requires replacing the engine at most times. Google Rav4 or Camry and 2.4l and headbolts and you will read page after page on this. I am not sure the 2008-2012 XB's have this issue or if it was fixed by drilling the block holes deeper and using longer bolts but you can check to see if this XB has this issue by running your hand/rag along the back side(firewall side) of the engine(when the car is cold) especially on the side close to the master cylinder. If you find coolant, tell them to have a nice day and leave.

Also look over the engine before they clean it as a cleaning will hide it

The other thing to look for(before they clean it) is if the water pump is going bad(seems like a Toyota "feature" on the 2.4l) you can tell if it is bad by looking at the underside of the hood. If there is a pink/red line going up the hood liner that means the water pump is bad and is leaking. Also look at the pump itself, if there is a pink/red substance on it then the pump is bad.

Don't think I am trying to push you away from this XB or XB's in general but just go in prepared.

Did you check to see what the numbers to see what a 2012 XB would run you with everything said and done? the 2012 might be on sale and at a good price you can get a new car that only you owned and you will know the total history of the car

Good luck in your quest

BlingSlade

Hi Ocean,

Just wanted to say all the Scion Xb's seem to be very reliable. Still, I think 90,000 miles is a lot for an 08 model but yes, they do run forever ha ha. I try to buy used from private party, I sell to private party as well. I won't go into what I think about dealers.

Anyway, I don't know a lot about cars but when I look at a used car I want to buy I look for any signs of a wreck, make sure the mileage is less than 15,000 a year, and do a carfax report on it. Then, if I'm really close to buying it I take it to a mechanic and ask them to check if it's been in a wreck as well.

Lets face it, if it's an unwrecked Scion Xb it's prolly going to run 250,000 miles without any significant problems, just routine maintenance stuff. Xb's are worth their blue book value and then some!